Power BI supports large range of data sources. You’ll click Get data and it shows you all the available data connections. It allows you to connect to different flat files, SQL database, and Azure cloud or even web platforms such as Facebook, Google Analytics, and Salesforce objects. It also includes ODBC connection to connect to other ODBC data sources, which aren’t listed.
Subsequent are the available data sources in Power BI
• Flat Files
• SQL Database
• OData Feed
• Blank Query
• Azure Cloud platform
• Online Services
• Blank Query
• Other data sources such as Hadoop, Exchange, or Active Directory
To get data in Power BI desktop, you need to click the Get data option with within the main screen. It shows you the most common data sources first. Then, click the More option to see a full list of available data sources.

When you click “More..” tab as shown with within the above screenshot, you’ll see a new navigation window, where on the left side it shows a category of all available data sources. You also have an option to perform a search at the top.

Subsequent are the varied data sources listed −

All

Under this category, you’ll see all the available data sources under Power BI desktop.

File

When you click File, it shows you all flat file types supported in Power BI desktop. To connect to any file type, select the file type from the list and click Connect. You have to provide the location of the file.

Database

When you click the Database option, it shows a list of all the database connections that you’ll connect to.

To connect to any database, select a Database type from the list as shown withwithin the above screenshot. Click Connect.
You have to pass Server name/ User name and password to connect. You’ll also connect via a direct SQL query using Advance options. You’ll also select Connectivity mode- Import or DirectQuery.
Note − You’ll’t combine import and DirectQuery mode in a single report.

Import vs DirectQuery

DirectQuery option limits the option of data manipulation and the data stays in SQL database. DirectQuery is live and there is no need to schedule refresh as withwithin the Import method.
Import method allows to perform data transformation and manipulation. When you publish the data to PBI service, limit is 1GB. It consumes and pushes data into Power BI Azure backend and data can be refreshed up to 8 times a day and a schedule can be set up for data refresh.

Advantages of Using DirectQuery

• Using DirectQuery, you’ll build data visualizations on large datasets, which is not feasible to import in Power BI desktop.
• DirectQuery doesn’t apply any 1GB data set limit.
• With the use of DirectQuery, the report always shows current data.

Limitations of Using DirectQuery

• There is a limitation of 1 million row for returning data while using DirectQuery. You’ll perform aggregation of more number of rows, however, the result rows should be less than 1 million to return the dataset.
• In DirectQuery, all tables should come from a single database.
• When a complex query is employed withwithin the Query editor, it throws an error. To run a query, you need to remove the error from the query.
• In DirectQuery, you’ll use Relationship filtering only in one direction.
• It doesn’t support special treatment for time-related data in tables.

Azure

Using the Azure option, you’ll connect to the database in Azure cloud. Subsequent screenshot shows the varied options available under Azure category.

Online Services

Power BI also allows you to connect to different online services such as Exchange, Salesforce, Google Analytics, and Facebook.
Subsequent screenshots shown the varied options available under Online Services.

Other

Subsequent screenshot shows the varied options available under other category.

So, this brings us to the end of blog. This Tecklearn ‘Power BI – Supported Data Sources’ blog helps you with commonly asked questions if you are looking out for a job in Power BI. If you wish to learn Power BI and build a career in Business Intelligence domain, then check out our interactive, Microsoft Power BI Training, that comes with 24*7 support to guide you throughout your learning period. Please find the link for course details:

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